Posts tagged ‘faith’
How do you explain immersion in olive oil!?
Yesterday our close friends baptised their baby in the Greek Orthodox church. We happen to know that the Dad is an atheist and the Mom, well, she may believe in God but I would hardly call her religious (let alone orthodox). Like many cultures, religion and family are intimately tied together and these celebrations are opportunities to do just that – celebrate. The ceremony was held at the same church where we attended our friends’ wedding – where he (a red-haired Scot) was officially baptised into the Greek Orthodox religion and partook in all kinds of weird ceremonial dress and dance to do it. It was a total blast to watch – nobody could help but draw parallels between what we were witnessing and the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”.
Our daughter had never been to a church before and was full of awe, confusion and questions about what on earth was going on. In hindsight I maybe should have prepped her about what we were about to see but to be honest, I was more focused on the ouzo-infused after party than the event itself. As we sat in the hot and ornately decorated church (the walls are covered in gold, stained glass, pictures of haloed saints, complex imagery and oh, did I mention gold?), she asked me “Why is that man singing? What are they putting on the boy’s head? Why are they putting oil on his head? Why are there candles? Why do I have to be quiet? Why is the boy wearing that hat?” I am afraid I didn’t have many good answers for her. I couldn’t explain those things to an adult, let alone a three-year-old.
I explained that this was a church and that some people believe in God and they go to church. She knows that we don’t believe in God – that’s about as far as the conversation has gotten. When she asked me “Why do some people believe in God?” I sat there, baffled for a minute. “Because it makes them feel good honey. Just like you have pink blanky.”
She was happy with that and I realized, some of the tough questions really can be answered that simply.
Religion is Weird: Exhibit A
A Hindu devotee prepares to walk on a pit of burning coals during a fire-walking ceremony held to honour the Hindu goddess Draupadi in Durban.
Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
I was interested to read some of the comments to my recent post On a Mission. I thought my approach was very tempered and a good way to open a dialogue. Nothing feels less comfortable to me than never addressing a major issue. I know there are times to address it and ways to approach things respectfully and lightly but never? Never, ever? That just feels wrong. So while I appreciate the idea that I should just leave things alone and the sentiment behind it, that ain’t me. I feel too strongly about this to just sit back and watch someone I care about become a morg. :)
The good news is, I got a great response from my BIL. I didn’t really think he would take it badly but I guess you never really know until you try. I won’t repeat verbatim what he wrote because I feel like that would be bad form but basically he agreed with me that credit should be given to doctors, technology, science etc. but that crediting God is also important because for many, it really is their faith that keeps them going. Fair enough I suppose.
He maintains that he has seen prayer at work (and gave me an example of a woman in his mission who has been trying to get pregnant and only a week after receiving a priesthood blessing, found out she was expecting. Oh, and the missionary correctly predicted it would be a girl) and that it is the greatest outward expression of inner faith. He wasn’t the least bit offended and so I am happy that I have started a discussion at the very least.
It is too easy for myths and stereotypes about atheists to persist when we fail to identify ourselves as such. So, in my reply to his email, I thanked him for his response and told him I thought it was well-considered and respectful (which it was) and that as an atheist, prayer is likely not something we will ever agree on but that there is always value in trying to understand the people you love. Baby steps.
The example of “prayer in action” that he gave me is so typical and so pervasive. To be able to see the example for what it is requires a lot; an acceptance of true coincidence, an understanding of basic statistics and probability, an appreciation for the human brain to create what it wants (“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” – Mark Twain) and the maturity to recognize that a lot of stories, are just down right lies. How do you effectively deconstruct this example in a way someone of faith can grasp where you are coming from? I mean, I know that there is only one way to end a drought (whether it be of the moisture or the baby variety) and so a prediction like that will almost always be true with time. I know that there are only two options for a baby and that predicting it’s a girl is not statistically relevant – not even close. I know that people tend to count the hits and ignore the misses and that it’s just as likely that the missionary told her she was going to get pregnant several times before she actually did, or that the story was revised to be even more faith-promoting with each repetition. I know that by no means does this example prove that prayer works and yet, for some, it does.
I feel lucky to have a strong background in science and I credit that largely for my atheism. I studied neuroscience with some very impressive people with wicked minds and an almost universal lack of belief in God. I learned how to think, deconstruct, spot the faulty assumption or premise and apply the scientific method to the world around me. It is not realistic to think that everyone could (or would want to) have that kind of experience. So, how do you teach basic critical thinking to young people in a way that isn’t threatening?
This could be a whole other post, but I’m a big believer that this should be taught to every student in the world. At least it would be a start.
Will keep you updated on BIL.
Right Round, Right Round
An excerpt from a recent comment:
“When I see even the smallest creature even a one celled organism I just can’t help but see the work of God. Without every part working together in unison these creatures just couldn’t survive. Just look under a telescope. Explain to me also how in evolution creatures that need oxygen to survive just happen to come along in a place that has plants to produce that oxygen? How we just got lucky enough to be not one degree closer or farther from the sun so we want freeze or burn to death? Explain how DNA just accidently came about?”
First of all – thank you for your comment. I always appreciate people of faith who are willing to at least read blogs written by atheists. While I know that I am not going to change your mind, I appreciate that you want to share your perspective. I hope I never come across as being dismissive or haughty when it comes to these questions.
In philosophy, there is a term for an argument that assumes the preposition within the premise – circulus in probando – or, circular reasoning. In this case, you believe in God, and so you see reasons to believe in God. It is not that the organs work together so that the creature can survive, it is that the creature survives because the organs work together. The same can be said for the levels of oxygen on our planet. The levels are not perfectly designed to maintain life. Life exists because the levels of oxygen allowed it to exist. For millions of years the levels of oxygen on earth were not what they are today, and life did not emerge.
For a non scientific analogy, lets say Bob lives in California and happens to be looking for a new job. He picks up the Kansas City Star one day only to see his dream job posted in the Careers section. Bob decides to move to Kansas in order to take the job. Now, most people recognize that Bob moved for the job. It is pretty clear that the job was not created because Bob moved to Kansas. In the case of Bob, and many natural wonders, we are here because of them, they are not here because of us. It is an easy mistake to make, especially when religions teach us that we are created by God and chosen as special among all creatures.
We are alive because the earth is perfectly located in relation to the sun, and we are alive because RNA evolved into DNA and acts as it does to preserve and pass on our genetic information. There are plenty of dead ends in the evolutionary tree to show what happens when life becomes ill-suited to its environment.
Just as the people of Copernicus’ time had to face the fact that the Earth is not the centre of the universe, today we must accept that we are not at the centre of the Earth.
Safe Rufus from the Rapture
I read this article this morning and couldn’t help but laugh. I wonder if the religious are ever able to step back from a particular belief, like the rapture, and see it in a new light. Does a strory like this ever make anyone realize how ridiculous certain beliefs are? I hope so. I hope that this morning some old cocker-spaniel loving lady read this article and thought “Wait a minute! I’ve never really thought about that. That doesn’t make a whole lots of sense.” And then I hope she picks at that loose thread until her entire belief system unravels and she is freed.
Which is not to say that I wouldn’t buy shares if this little doggy venture were to do go public.
Edumacated?
Although I am a Canadian, I have many American friends and have spent a lot of time in the US. I recognize the power and influence that resides below our border and therefore, follow closely the political and religious (the line between which is increasingly blurry I’m afraid) ongoings of the country. I have to say that I am discouraged, bewildered and sometimes afraid at the state of affairs these days.
The anti-intellectualism exhibited primarily by the right-wing in the US is shocking. People seem to pride themselves in having faith over having knowledge and refuse to listen to any information coming from the other side, even if it is fact. They don’t believe in fact anymore it would seem – only nuance and semantics. Fox news will lie outright (a good example would be when they labelled disgraced Florida representative, Mark Foley as a democrat) and people don’t even notice. And when they do notice they somehow, don’t care! A true democracy relies on an informed base and I’m afraid that the American media and the American people have failed to do their job.
The question though, is where does this lack of critical evaluation and consideration come from? I would argue it is rooted in religion. When you are encouraged to take things on faith rather than evidence it is only a matter of time before that same approach seeps into the rest of your life. When your brain becomes habituated to shutting down, not questioning and ignoring evidence which does not support your world view, it starts to atrophy. This effect is crystalized by a society that celebrates this “fiction over fact” mentality and it perpetuates itself into homes, schools and the media. My mother-in-law, who is Mormon, has a sign on her fridge that reads “Character is higher than intellect.” Each time we visit, my husband and I are tempted to write “And intellect is higher than God.” but so far we haven’t touched the damn thing. What does character mean exactly anyway? Grrr…this could launch me into a whole other subject so I’m going to stop thinking about that sign on the fridge door. That damn sign that sets such low standards for a growing family.
The point is, people have been taught not to think. If you have to force yourself to accept that the world, contrary to so much evidence, is only 6,000 years old than I suppose it is not at all a stretch to believe that the President is a socialist. And if your Republican friends believe it too than it must be true. Don’t bother to pick up a dictionary and look up the term “socialist” (the dictionary is probably produced by some left-wing atheist publisher anyhow) or ask yourself what it must be like to truly live in a socialist country, or heaven forbid, actually read the health reform initiatives in their original forms, without interpretation. Why is it that the national newspapers are writing at a grade 4-5 level? How is it that so many people don’t know that Africa is a continent, or what “socialist” means or how the scientific method works? How is it that health reporting is so bad that experts now say it is causing more harm than good, and even “reporters” don’t check facts?
How did religion come to trump reason? And most importantly, how do we fix it?
Dr. George Tiller
The recent killing of Dr. George Tiller is not merely an isolated act by a deranged individual. It is the natural extension of a philosophy that preaches hate, intolerance and vigilantism. Pro-life groups have been quick to condemn the act for fear that it may paint them with the same brush. What they fail to see is that they deserve to be painted by the same brush. If you participate in vilifying a man so much that he is perceived by many as the devil incarnate, you can hardly blame a believing Christian for taking the obvious and final step of killing him.
This is something that many religious people fail to recognize. When you are part of a group that believes itself to be just and chosen and persecuted and that it is your job to save and die for your God, then the men and women who kill in the name of Christ are the brave ones. The rational ones. They are the ones who can add up 1 and 1 and get two. So many religious believers will go to the edge only to stop short of leaping. They cannot take that next step because something deep inside them knows it is wrong. But, knowing that it is wrong never leads them to re-trace the steps that led them to that cliff in the first place. To question some of the fundamentals that have led them to an obvious and terrifying conclusion.
You can’t have it both ways. You can’t be in the army of God and be a pacifist. You can’t believe there is only one true church and love your neighbour. You cannot hate atheists or abortionists and be belssed as a peacemaker. So many things in religion are mutually exclusive and so many religious believers intentionally blind themselves to this. To what they have signed up for.
And now, the same people who yelled from the rooftops that George Tiller was a murderer and who also advocate capital punishment are surprised that somebody killed him?
proof positive
This is often a difficult concept for believers to grasp but my atheism is not rooted in a negative outlook or take on life, it is rooted in love and life and optimism. I am not an angry person and I do not have a chip on my shoulder. I am optimistic, pleasant and happy. I am everything a life without God isn’t supposed to look like.
Atheism is an empowering perspective. It makes every person matter and every action count. We are not fighting against destiny or prophecy, we are living lives that can change or affect change at any moment. Most importantly, we are living life now. It is the only opportunity we get and so, I want to make sure I enjoy it as much as possible. Life is not about hedonism but neither it is about nonsensical rules and limitations, about pressure and guilt or sacrifice. Often, believers struggle to see anything but darkness when they look at the atheist viewpoint. I want them to understand that it can be a place of discovery, joy, morality and light.
I love the planet and nature. I am often left awed by what the natural world can produce, by the magic it can weave. I feel love and compassion for my fellow man. We are all on this floating globe of rock together and we are all struggling to find our way. I appreciate every moment of my life because I realize it is both precious and impermanent. I laugh at the funny moments in life and celebrate at every opportunity because I know this is the only chance I get. I want my life to count. I want the world to be a better place for my having been on it. I want to take care of the world I am living in and the people I share it with because it is our responsibility – there is no one else to do it for us.
A worls without God can look dark at first, especially if you are walking away from the glaring neon of many of today’s churches. These churches provide answers, scripts and rules to live your life by. What they do not offer however, is freedom and truth. I can see why they bring comfort to many people and why leaving can be so terrifying. Allow time for your eyes to readjust…there really is light at the end of this tunnel.
national day of prayer
Today is the national day of prayer in the US and President Obama has decided to mark it quietly and privately. god bless him! (lol) It’s about time someone ends the tyranny of faith that has ruled Washington for far too long. The evangelical movement in the United States is an insidious force that has set the country back by decades, if not by centuries. The number of people in the country who do not believe in evolution or climate change is shocking. There are thousands of people who think that dinosaurs walked the earth with humans. Crazy ideas based on junk science have not only been allowed to bloom but have been encouraged by crazy laws that encourage “religious freedom”. The freedom to be ignorant. The freedom to be wrong.
Obama said in his inauguration speech that he would lift science back to its rightful place and, like it or not, part of that is keeping religion in its rightful place. In homes and churches, and out of the White House.
changing the rules
I think one of the most frustrating things about religion for me is that fact that it is protected by its own set of cognitive rules. If people were to apply the same loose standards of evidence and reason to other areas in their life (admittedly some do) things would unravel very quickly. I know intelligent people who are otherwise skeptical in their lives. They don’t believe in quack medicine, they question media reports of current events and use fairly strict codes before they believe something as fact. Some of them are scientists who understand and accept Occam’s Razor while others are journalists, trained to question and seek sufficient information before telling a story. And yet, these same people have no trouble accepting that a man, born of a virgin birth, thousands of years ago was the literal son of God, a God who makes contradictory and sometimes duplicitous statements, performed miracles and spoke to donkeys, died and was risen from the dead only to disappear again in order to ascend to his rightly place next to his ethereal father in heaven. Wow.
The excuse for this ability to remove an otherwise functioning brain and put it on a shelf is called faith. How do you justify such mental gymnastics (and ironically, complete disrespect for our supposed “god given faculties”) with one little word? What kind of God would require that of you? I can understand believing in something – a higher power or supernatural force. There is no real reason not to believe in something like that. But there is plenty of evidence to suggest that an omnipotent, omniscient God is an imagined father figure for an otherwise small and lonely planet.
It is often argued that god cannot be proved or disproved and in some ways this is true. What we rely on however is the things that make up a faith…the documents, the claims, the books, the church. If these things fail to hold water, it is a fair assumption that the god they claim to represent can be dismissed. In the real world this approach is used all the time. In a court of law it is often impossible to prove that someone did or did not do something. What you rely on instead is the evidence. The videotapes, the fingerprints, the probabilities and then, based on that, you decide. If the evidence is found to be lacking then people intuitively understand that the person cannot be found guilty. Why can’t we apply the same reasonable approach to claims of a religious nature?
on motherhood
I was told by my MIL and many others that my approach to the world would shift dramatically when I had my own child. I think my MIL in particular fully expected me to become LDS and lead her wayward son back to the flock. Many mothers cannot imagine having a child and not having religion. I understand that to some degree. I understand how deeply you love that babe in your arms and how desperately you want them to live for all time and be protected while they do it. Unfortunately, wanting something does not make it so.
Having a child did indeed change my perspective, but probably not in the way my MIL would have liked. I remember looking into her newborn eyes and promising her that I would do everything in my power to protect her from religion and all the things it brings with it. I want her to live in a world of reason and truth. Where people’s energies are devoted to one another and to improving our lot in life as opposed to works for some unseen God. I want her to learn that the natural world is amazing and incredible and all that we have. That it must be protected as well as loved and that the answers to the mystery of the universe are ours to discover. When she stumbles I want her to think “What can I do about this?” as opposed to getting down on her knees and handing the job over to someone else.
Religion brings fear, limits, consequences and rigid rules that should not be questioned. For many people that is what parenting is and so having a God to “back you up” makes life easier. They take the “heavenly father” analogy quite literally. We, on the other hand, will treat the whole subject the same as we would treat any other imaginary friend.
facts of life
Statistically, the more educated you are the higher the chances that you are an Atheist. What that might lead someone to believe is that there is a direct correlation between intelligence and belief. While I do think there is a relationship between those two things, it is neither direct nor simple. I have met some smart people who believe some very weird things. How is is that someone can be a scientist, understand the scientific method and how to apply it and then fail to apply the same rigour to their own fundamental beliefs? The cognitive dissonance that arises from such mental gymnastics is in large part, what led my husband and I to become atheists. If you believe in rational thought and evidence-based decision making (which we did and do) then it doesn’t leave you with a lot of other options. You can examine the basic religious claims and find them lacking or you can take a large chunk of your brain out and leave it on a shelf so that you can believe.
Adam and Eve? The great flood…animals going two by two? People being swallowed by whales? Even if you dismiss these old testament stories as merely legend (which in itself gets very tricky – if the first part is “just a story” then what does that say about the rest of it?) there is still plenty of stuff in the new testament to test the limits of ridiculousness. Mormons have it even harder. All of their sacred texts and documents were written in the past couple of centuries – in English. There are no mistranslations to blame and plenty of writings, witnesses, newspaper accounts, court documents and historical facts that create problems for the Mormons. Their approach is to find them, destroy/hide them and teach the church that anything that questions the Mormon faith (even without meaning to do so intentionally like say…DNA EVIDENCE!) is anti-Mormon, not faith-promoting, and not worth their time.
They say ignorance is bliss. Ignorance is also faith I’m afraid.
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